


Carry Me Through

by deirdre_aithne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Miscarriage, Pre-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 10:45:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/584547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_aithne/pseuds/deirdre_aithne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starting a family should have been a simple thing, with the birth of their first born coming within the first year of their marriage. But sometimes, things are not as easy as expected. And sometimes, the complications can come close to tearing marriages – and people – apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carry Me Through

**Author's Note:**

> So many thanks to writcraft for encouraging me to keep writing something that was definitely a stretch for me. Thanks to rivertempest for not only being willing to beta this for me (and suffer through my many mistakes & repetitions), but for also putting up with my last-minute decision to write this and be a bit forgiving that it took me a while to get it in. You're a dear! ♥ And lastly, thank you to the two people who listened to me whine about parts of this all but breaking my heart. Without you all, I'm not sure I'd have actually gone through with this, and I'm feeling pretty proud of the final result. -- In addition to being for the 2012 run of luciusbigbang, this fic is filling my 'difficult pregnancy' square for hc_bingo card.

_The sounds of the wedding reception still going strong in the ballroom slowly faded behind them as Narcissa leaned on Lucius' arm and allowed him to lead her through the halls of Malfoy Manor for the first time. Their relationship had begun during her final year at Hogwarts, with Lucius proposing within the month after her leaving the school. The engagement had been brief, lasting only a few months before they had officially begun to plan the wedding – a process that had added another six months of time before the day had finally come. And during all of that time, Narcissa had only ever been permitted to see the ballroom and receiving hall of what was to become her home. Not by any rule of Lucius', but of her own mother, who feared she might fall victim to Lucius' charms prior to the date of their wedding, and perhaps remove the entirety of his motivation to take her as his wife in the first place._

_Smiling faintly at the foolish thought, Narcissa shook her head and then tipped it to one side, allowing it to rest ever so lightly against Lucius' shoulder. He pointed out rooms as they walked, his left arm reached across his own body for her to hold on to him, while his right arm was wrapped possessively around her waist. With their crowd of guests left behind and no more need for the cool persona Lucius adopted as his public face, his expression was alight with signs of happiness: the corner of his mouth curved upwards in the faintest of smiles, his eyes shining as he held her against him._

_Lucius guided her through the halls, allowing Narcissa to pause and peek her head into any room she wished before steering her further into the Manor. He shifted his hold to rest his hand at the base of her spine, where the low back of her wedding gown left her skin bare to his touch, and encouraged her to move up the winding grand staircase ahead of him. Her heels rapping softly against the marble steps were the only sound for a long moment as they moved upstairs together, and at the top of the stairs, Lucius brought Narcissa to a halt._

_He slipped his hands out of her grasp and instead, wrapped his arm around her, high on her back just below her shoulders, and tucked his other arm beneath Narcissa's knees. Lucius lifted her up off her feet in one smooth motion and cradled her against his chest. Despite her best efforts, Narcissa let out a soft laugh at the gesture and wound her arms around his neck, melting against Lucius' chest as he carried her down the corridor into the master bedroom. He set her on her feet again only once they had crossed the threshold into the room, and turned Narcissa in his arms so she was facing him._

_She leaned into his touch as Lucius laid his hand against her cheek, stroking his thumb over her skin as he bent his head to claim her lips in a kiss._

* * *

The feeling of Lucius pressing himself closer to her back and tightening his arms around her waist pulled Narcissa from a light sleep. She blinked her eyes open in the darkness of the room, stretching slowly, careful not to disrupt Lucius' hold on her too much. As she settled herself and began to snuggle back against him, he moved, nuzzling against the curve of her neck and brushing his lips against her skin.

"You're awake."

She inclined her head slightly with a soft hum, and Lucius shifted his hold on her to slide his hand down over her hip. He curled his hand around to trail his fingers along the inside of Narcissa's thigh, teasing the skin there as he inched his fingers higher. With a soft sigh, she reached down and caught him by the wrist and gently guided his hand away from between her legs to settle his arm around her waist once more.

"We have our appointment with the healer this afternoon," she said by way of explanation. Lucius was still and silent in response, his hand remaining exactly where she had placed it. When he finally moved, it was only to wrap his arm further around her as he pressed himself closer still to her back. He then tucked his chin onto her shoulder, cradling Narcissa against his chest and doing his best to surround her with his presence.

"You're frightened."

It wasn't a question, but still, Narcissa nodded. It had been four months after their wedding night before she had managed to conceive at all, and within two weeks of discovering the news, the pains had hit her without warning or reason. There had been the small comfort that neither she, nor Lucius, had made the announcement to either side of their family, but it had made little difference in the end. It had been another month after that before they had begun trying again, and after more than six months, they had made no progress at all. And for all of the things she could do right by Lucius, the thing that was most required of her, her body seemed incapable of giving.

"Cissa," Lucius murmured softly as he turned his face in towards her neck. His lips brushed against her skin and his arm tightened around her waist for a moment, squeezing her against him. "These matters can take time, that is all. We simply have to keep trying."

"And if we find that trying will not do us any good, Lucius, what happens then?" Her voice was tight, and her lips pulled into a thin line as she determinedly stared into the darkness of their bedroom rather than give in to the longing to turn in his embrace and press herself as close to him as possible. After a moment of silence, Lucius made that decision for her, sitting up and gently manoeuvring her to roll onto her back, and then to her other side.

Lucius settled himself on his side and pulled Narcissa into his arms once more, wrapping one arm around her waist, settling that hand on her back, stroking over her skin. His other hand came up to rest in her hair, tucking her head against his shoulder while he carded his fingers through the blonde strands.

"It _will_ be all right, Narcissa. You'll see soon enough, everything is just fine."

* * *

_"You're beautiful," Lucius murmured against his wife’s lips. His thumb continued tracing along her cheekbone for a moment before he slid his hand down along the curve of her throat, lingering against her collarbone with his thumb tucked up under her chin to keep her face tipped back._

_Narcissa's breath hitched as Lucius trailed his lips along the other side of her jaw and down to her neck. His lips parted and his teeth scraped lightly against her skin, tongue flicking out and sending ripples of pleasure running through her. Moving her hands to slide over Lucius' chest, she began slipping the buttons of his dress robes free. The fabric fell open for her, and she brushed Lucius' robes back off his shoulders, making a soft sound of protest when his hands withdrew from her. When his arms were free of the sleeves, he let his robes pool on the floor around their feet._

_Lucius chuckled softly against her neck. "Patience, Narcissa. I am nowhere near finished touching you tonight." His hands returned to her body, stroking down over her throat and then further, tracing his fingers over the bare skin of her chest and the tops of her breasts before moving his hands around her side and down. He tangled his fingers in the ribbons that laced the back of Narcissa's dress and gave a gentle tug, pulling the bow free. "Turn for me, now – I want to take my time with this. It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful dress in a moment of haste."_

_"How considerate of you," she murmured. The corner of her mouth twisted up with a smile, and the words were rewarded with a low laugh from Lucius as she turned to put her back to him. After unravelling the lacing of her dress with ease, he slid the ribbon slowly through each eyelet until he reached the last. He paused for a moment, leaning in to brush his lips against Narcissa's neck, before pulling the ribbon free, allowing it to drop to the floor at their feet as the back of her dress fell open._

_The dress was shrugged from her shoulders and slid down her arms, leaving it to slither along her curves and join the pile of fabric already on the floor. Holding on to Lucius' hand, she carefully stepped out of the dress, and a flick of Lucius' wand sent the garment lifting up off the floor and draping itself neatly over the back of the chair in the corner. She stepped out of her heels before he pulled her back into his arms, this time with her back pressed against his chest, and Narcissa tipped her head back against Lucius' shoulder with a soft hum._

_"Satin suits you, my love," Lucius purred in her ear. One of his hands stroked over her hip through her white satin knickers, while the other was curled high on her side, beneath her arm so his fingers brushed against her breast through the matching fabric there. "Although after tonight, we may have to invest in some more_ provocative _garments."_

_Her lips twitched in amusement. "And what if I am not that sort of woman, Lucius, to tease you with such things?"_

_Lucius pulled her back tighter against his chest and pressed his hips forward until Narcissa could feel him pressing against the curve of her behind. With a soft moan, she melted back against him and arched her neck as Lucius brushed his lips against the column of her throat. "You will be soon enough, Narcissa," he murmured in a rough tone while his hands began to wander slowly over her skin. "_ For me _, you will."_

* * *

"What do you think of this?" Narcissa asked as she held up a small, pale pink dress. Seated in the chair opposite her in the drawing room, Bellatrix snorted into her glass of wine.

"It's a bit... _bright_ , isn't it, Cissy?"

Narcissa sniffed and lifted her chin as she looked away, although the corner of her mouth twitched with a suppressed smile. "Well, not everyone wishes to wear nothing but black, Bella. It's hardly fitting for a little girl, at any rate." Her hand fluttered down to the small round of her stomach and her eyes softened. Six long months of fertility potions and a second loss had finally paid off. The Healers had immediately put her on bed rest for the extent of her pregnancy when it had been confirmed, allowing her only a few hours spaced throughout the day to be up and about before she should return to bed. It was inconvenient, and often times frustrating, but it had kept herself and her child safe for the past five months.

"Are you well, Cissy?" Bella asked after a long moment. Her voice had lost the harsh edge it often had, and Narcissa looked up from her swollen belly to offer her a small smile and a nod, leaving her hand to linger on the curve of her stomach.

"I am. The Healers tell me that everything appears to be going smoothly this time." Narcissa's hand began absently rubbing over her stomach again, and she watched Bella's lips twist with a faint smile. Just as she opened her mouth to speak once more, there was a sharp _crack_ of Apparition that sounded from between their chairs, and a trembling house-elf appeared, bowing low.

"Dobby is sorry to interrupt the Mistresses, but Dobby must remind the Mistress Malfoy of her Healers' orders..."

When Bella stood, the elf cringed and immediately grabbed its ears, squeezing its large eyes closed as though anticipating a blow of some sort. Despite herself, Narcissa gave a soft chuckle at the display. "That will be all," she said in a cool tone, waving her hand to dismiss the elf. He was quick to Apparate away mid-bow, and Narcissa reached a hand out for Bella as she stepped closer to her chair. "Help me up, Bella, please."

Bella took her hand and helped her up. Once on her feet, Narcissa paused, sucking in a soft breath as a small stab of pain rippled through her abdomen. It passed just a moment later, though, and she relaxed, shaking her head at Bella's expression of concern. "I'm fine, Bella. If you wouldn't mind, though, I would appreciate an escort back to my rooms."

"I could hardly leave my Cissy to wander these lonely halls alone," Bella quipped. She offered her arm to Narcissa, allowing her to curl her hands around it for support as they began to walk. Silence settled between them, although Narcissa caught Bella shooting her more than a few glances from the corner of her eye as they walked. Lifting her chin slightly, and taking care to keep her expression collected, Narcissa did her best to ignore the looks. To her relief, Bella continued to hold her tongue as she escorted her towards the base of the main staircase.

They were halfway up the stairs when the pain hit again, this time with enough force to nearly knock Narcissa off her feet. A sharp, strangled cry slipped from her lips, as one arm shot out to grip the railing of the staircase for support, while the nails of her other hand dug into Bella's arm through the sleeve of her robes. She sucked in a ragged breath when the flash of pain began to subside, only to have another sear across her lower back, tightening the muscles in front. With a sob, Narcissa crashed to her knees on the marble stairs, her hand slipping free of Bella's arm to clutch at her stomach.

"Cissy-"

"Apparate me," Narcissa demanded in a strained voice. The words hardly left her mouth before Bella grabbed her upper arm in a hard grasp and took her Side-Along to the bedroom. She managed to stumble up to her feet after they arrived in the room, taking a few steps towards her bed before another powerful spasm struck and she screamed.

Tears streamed down Narcissa's face as she forced herself forward, and she felt Bella tugging at her arm to assist until she was able to drop herself onto the bed. Immediately, Narcissa curled onto her side and wrapped both arms around her stomach as her body was wracked with agony again. "F-floo the healers, Bella," she stammered out, pausing with another sob as she curled herself tighter into a ball when the next flash of pain tore through her. "And Lucius. _Please_."

* * *

_"Perhaps," Narcissa allowed with a coy smile as she reached one arm back to hook around Lucius' neck. Her breath hitched as his mouth continued its path along the curve of her throat and down towards her shoulder, soft kisses and light nips tantalising her skin. His hands came to settle on her hips, cradling her back against him while he paused to bite down a little harder at the place where her neck and shoulder met. He sucked at her skin and worried it lightly between his teeth until Narcissa could almost feel the mark rising beneath the ministrations._

_Slowly, Lucius withdrew and swiped his tongue over the same spot once, and the sensation send a shudder ripping through Narcissa. "_ Oh _," she breathed as she allowed her head to fall back onto Lucius' shoulder. Her chest rose and fell with her shallow pants, and the soft flush that had risen up in her pale cheeks began to creep down over her throat and the tops of her breasts, as heat coursed its way through her entire body. "Lucius-"_

_"Patience, Narcissa," he interrupted. His voice came as a low purr in her ear, and his breath washed hot over the shell of it, causing her to tremble again in his arms. She let out a soft mewl of need as Lucius slipped one hand away from her hip to reach between her legs, her hips instinctively rolling forward in search of contact. With expert fingers, he parted her lips, slid his fingers over her, and found the nub of her clit, rubbing light circles over it._

_Her body quivered as the sensation flowed through her and again Narcissa pressed her hips forward, shifting her legs wider apart for Lucius. With a moan against her ear, he slipped his hand further down until his thumb brushed against her clit, while the rest of his fingers sought out her entrance. Two fingers pressed into her, slow and steady until they were buried as deep into her as Lucius could reach while Narcissa's body adjusted to the new intrusion._

_Tightening her arm around Lucius' neck to hold herself up, she melted against him, her eyes drifting closed with a soft sigh. Her body relaxed as Lucius began to rock his fingers inside her, rubbing against her inner walls as though searching for something until the tip of one finger brushed against a bundle of nerves that sent Narcissa's back arching. She inhaled sharply as pleasure surged through her, and turned her face in towards Lucius' neck to brush her lips against his skin._

_"That's it, Narcissa," Lucius crooned as his fingers sought out that same spot inside her again. "Let yourself go, and I will give you every pleasure."_

_"L-Lucius, please..."_

_"What is it that you want?" he prompted. His thumb moved to flick lightly over her clit once more and a soft cry slipped from Narcissa's lips before she found the voice to answer him._

_"_ You _, Lucius," Narcissa whimpered as her hips thrust into his touch. "I want_ you _."_

* * *

"Have you been taking your potion?"

Narcissa paused with her wine glass half way to her lips, her gaze on Lucius, who was seated across the table from her. Instead of answering him immediately, she took a long sip of wine and carefully set the glass back onto the table. Her eyes dropped to what remained of her dessert as she selected a fresh strawberry from the bowl of fruit. "No," she replied simply before popping the berry into her mouth.

"Narcissa." Lucius' tone took on a harder edge, and she straightened in her chair, lifting her chin slightly as she met his eyes. "You know what the Healers have said. If you don't take them-"

"Perhaps I am _tired_ of taking them," she interrupted. It took considerable effort to keep her own voice level, and beneath the table, she clenched her hand around a fistful of the fabric of her dress. She held Lucius' gaze in silence for a moment, then looked away, back down to her dessert. Pursing her lips, she gently nudged the bowl away. "I cannot do it any more, Lucius."

"Cissa," he said in a softer voice. The change in his tone rankled Narcissa and she pushed her chair back from the table to rise to her feet.

" _No_ , Lucius. It's time that we accept that it is not going to work."

She watched the muscles at the corner of his mouth twitch as his expression grew shadowed. He rose from his seat without breaking his gaze away from hers. "Have you considered the possibility that I am not ready to give up on having an heir? We still have time, and the Healers have said-"

"I do not _care_ what the Healers have said," she snapped. Lucius fell silent, looking at her with a stunned expression. She paused to collect herself before speaking again in a much more level tone. "I have lost five children in four years. I have struggled again and again to conceive, even with the aid of a regular regiment of fertility potions and no shortage of attempts on our part. No matter how hard, or how many times we try, my body fails us both in the end." Her voice began to tremble and she blinked carefully to hold the tears threatening to well up in her eyes at bay for another moment. "If you truly love me at all, then you will not ask me to go through all of that again."

Lucius was silent, his lips pulling into a thin line. He made no move to nod in agreement, or to shake his head and dismiss her plea, but the silence was answer enough as Narcissa stiffly inclined her head. "I see how it's to be, then."

"Narcissa..."

Without acknowledging him, she stepped around her chair and turned her back to Lucius as she strode out of the room. He called her name a second time, her feet carrying her out of the dining hall seemingly of their own volition, and she did not stop walking until she had made it to her own private rooms, which were tucked away in the south wing of the Manor. There were no sounds to indicate that Lucius followed, and as Narcissa closed the door firmly behind herself, she sagged back against the wood for one brief moment.

She pulled in a ragged breath, desperate to cling to the last shreds of her composure and spoke in a sharp, clear voice, " _Dobby!_ " The elf appeared with the sharp _crack_ of Apparition, bowing low in front of her. She stepped around him and moved towards the window on the far wall that looked out onto the grounds. "Bring me my potions," she ordered as her voice took on a hollow tone.

She hardly noticed the sound of him leaving her rooms, only to startle when he Apparated back into them just a few moments later. Without instruction, the elf placed the satchel of potions onto the edge of her vanity, and left the room with one last _crack_ that seemed to echo in the silence of the room.

Turning away from the window at last, Narcissa reached out, opened her satchel, and removed one of the phials of violet-coloured fertility potion. She turned it over in her hand once, and then wrenched the stopper from the phial, pressing it to her lips to drink it down in one long swallow. The concoction left a sour taste on the back of her tongue, and as she set the empty phial down, she felt the last of her composure crumbling. Her strength faltering, Narcissa moved to drop herself heavily onto the single bed and gave in to her tears.

* * *

_Lucius slipped his hand away from her, ignoring Narcissa's whine of protest, laying it on her hip instead, nudging her gently forward. Sliding her arm from around his neck, Narcissa allowed him to guide her towards the bed and stopped when they reached the edge of it to turn in his arms and wind her own around his neck. Lucius manoeuvred her the last few steps until her knees bumped the edge of the mattress. Fingers tangled in his hair, she kissed him and toppled backwards down onto the mattress, pulling Lucius down with her, landing together on the bed._

_She felt a puff of air against her lips as Lucius laughed at the display, and after a moment of shuffling, they moved. Narcissa's head dropped back to rest against the soft pillows, her body stretched out along the length of the bed, displaying herself for Lucius. Her eyes gleamed as she brushed the fingers of one hand against her throat and began slowly trailing it downwards, between her breasts and over her stomach while Lucius knelt just to the side of her and watched the movement of her hand with darkened eyes. With a low growl, he reached out and caught her wrist in a firm grip before she could slide her hand between her legs, guiding her arm up to pin her hand in place beside her head._

_"I believe I told you to be patient, didn't I?" he admonished with only amusement in his tone._

_Narcissa's lips quirked as she smiled and obediently left her hand where it had been placed. "Forgive me, but it seems since I am the only one properly attired for the occasion, I had assumed you desired a show of some sort." She watched his eyes flicker with interest at the suggestion as he began opening the buttons of his shirt to shrug it down off his shoulders._

_"_ Tempting _," he admitted, tossing his shirt over the edge of the bed. "But perhaps another evening." His hands dropped down to open the fastenings of his trousers, then, and Narcissa swiped her tongue across her lips as she anticipated her first proper sight of him. Lucius moved off the bed just long enough to remove his trousers, followed swiftly by his silk boxers, letting his wife peruse his naked body for only a moment before kneeling onto the mattress._

_Narcissa reached her hand out to stroke her fingers lightly over the length of him, acquainting herself with the strange, soft texture of the skin of his shaft and the spongy glans where the foreskin had peeled back to reveal the leaking head. Swiping her thumb over the slit, she gathered a drop of precome on the pad of her finger and brought it to her lips. Her first taste of him pulled a soft moan from her, and above her, Lucius let out an echoing groan of approval at her actions._

_"Are you ready for me?"_

_Without hesitation, she spread her legs further apart for him, lifting her hips slightly in offering when Lucius ran the head of his cock between her lips to press against her entrance. "_ Yes _," she breathed, as her eyes fell closed and she took a ragged breath in anticipation. "I'm ready, Lucius..."_

* * *

"You're meant to be in bed," Lucius reprimanded when he entered the library. Narcissa turned away from the shelf she had been perusing to glance at him, shaking her head with a faint hint of a smile.

"I'm permitted small breaks from my bed, thank you, Lucius. The Healers were certain it would be quite alright for me to take a stroll here or there, so long as I am not up and about for more than an hour."

"Still..." Stepping up behind her, Lucius wrapped his arms around her and settled one hand on the small swell of her stomach. It had taken the better part of a month for them to work through their argument over the potions, and all the while, Narcissa had taken them without Lucius' knowledge, determined to give it one last attempt for his sake. For three months, she had struggled with the continued lack of a pregnancy, until she had been tempted to begin tearing her hair out at the roots in her frustration.

When it had finally happened, she had almost been convinced that the tests were incorrect, but as the weeks crept by into months, and the tell-tale signs made themselves known, the realisation had been able to settle in at last. Four months along now, she was once again confined to bed rest for the majority of her days, although she had expected as much to happen. Making her rare and brief excursions to other rooms of the house beside the bedroom she shared with Lucius a much-needed escape from their chambers. The rooms almost seemed suffocating at times, simply due to the fact she was confined there.

"I do not like the thought of you walking up and down the stairs to get from there to here, or back again. If you were to fall-"

"I am _fine_ to use the staircase, Lucius. Being pregnant does not mean I no longer have a sense of balance. So long as I hold on to the railings, I will be fine, even if I do happen to slip." She turned to face him and brought a hand up to cup Lucius' cheek, leaning in until their lips brushed together. "The more that you worry, the more stress it will put on me, and _that_ is what we do not need."

He gave a small nod and paused as Narcissa's expression pulled into a frown and she placed her hand onto her stomach. "Are you unwell?" Lucius asked her, frowning. She gave him another smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes this time, as she brushed away from him.

"It's nothing to concern yourself with. Though I would like to go back upstairs..." Narcissa's lips pinched into a line as she felt another uncomfortable flicker of pain before she forced her expression into the smoothest she could manage. "Would you mind assisting me?"

Lucius shook his head and closed the distance she had put between them with a few quick steps. The moment his hand settled on her arm, the pain seared through her again, stronger than before, and she crumpled with a strangled cry. Faster than she could follow, Lucius moved with her, dropping down to his knees and guiding Narcissa down onto her back on the floor to pillow her head in his lap.

Another tear of pain through the lower half of her abdomen pulled another cry from her lips and she squeezed her eyes closed as Lucius began stroking over her hair. "Not again," Narcissa whispered in a broken tone, shaking her head gently back and forth. " _Merlin_ , please, not again."

Vaguely, she heard Lucius summon one of the elves, and the sound of the Floo flaring to life only a few feet away. She laid there with the pain building to a steady throb in the lower half of her body, while Lucius' hand found her own, his fingers lacing with hers. Narcissa clutched onto him with all of her strength. Her eyes opened, and through her tears, she saw his face over hers, his expression dark with concern, as he continued stroking his free hand over her hair.

"I'm sorry," Narcissa managed through her tears. Through the blur in her vision, she could make out how vehemently Lucius shook his head.

" _No_ ," Lucius said firmly. He shifted over her to lean down and press his lips to her forehead, lingering there against her skin for one long moment, his eyes closing as he took a moment to swallow the lump rising in his throat. " _I'm_ sorry, for putting you through this once again."

* * *

_With a low groan rumbling in his throat, Lucius began pressing into Narcissa with one slow, smooth thrust. She inhaled sharply as the head breeched her, and arched her back up off the bed as the rest of his shaft slid into her inch by inch. When he had filled her entirely, he stilled, both of them breathing raggedly as she quivered beneath him, pausing only to brace himself with one arm clutching onto the headboard of the bed._

_After one long moment, Narcissa angled her hips upwards against Lucius, a gasp of pleasure falling from her lips as it caused him to rub against her inner walls. Dropping her head back with a moan, she moved again and reached her arms up to wind them around Lucius' neck. He obeyed the unspoken cue and slid slowly out of her to press inside her once again, maintaining the same slow movement he'd used with the first thrust of his hips._

_As he filled her again, her hips canted to just the right angle, causing him to rub over the bundle of nerves inside her. Hands gripped hard onto his shoulders in response, it sent a coil of pleasure rushing through her body. Recognizing her reaction, Lucius carefully positioned himself with the next slow slide of his shaft into her and struck the same bundle again as he settled himself into a steady pace of movements. The hand not gripping the headboard slipped between their bodies, his fingers sliding between Narcissa's lips to find the nub of her clit once more._

_"_ Lucius! _" Narcissa gasped out as he began to rub against her. Her hips rolled up to meet his thrusts as he continued to move inside her, a steady string of keening whimpers slipping from her lips. Continuing to rub circles against her clit, Lucius quickened his thrusts until she was panting breathlessly beneath him, mewling beneath his hand. When the first plea escaped her, he moaned and pressed his thumb more firmly against her clit, rubbing against her at a faster pace, flicking her nub until her hips bucked and her head thrashed against the pillow._

_She came after another moment with a sharp cry, her back arching up from the mattress and her hips tipping down to press herself down onto his shaft. Lucius continued to rub against her clit for another moment as her release washed over her, thrusting into her, savouring the feeling of her body coming around him until the sensations became too much. Withdrawing his hand, he gave in to his own pleasure, thrusting into her fast,hard and deep, his own orgasm washing over him._

_He came with a strangled groan while buried deep inside her. As he collapsed atop her, Narcissa made a soft sound, almost like a purr, and began to stroke her hands over his shoulders._

* * *

The feeling of Lucius pressing himself closer to her back and tightening his arms high around her waist pulled Narcissa from a light sleep. She blinked her eyes open in the darkness of the room and stretched slowly, careful not to disrupt Lucius' hold on her too much. As she settled herself and began to snuggle back against him, though, he moved, nuzzling the curve of her neck and brushing his lips against her skin.

"You're awake."

She inclined her head slightly with a soft hum, arching her neck into the feel of his lips on her. Lucius shifted his hold on her, sliding his hand down over her side to brush against her hip, curling his fingers over the swell of her stomach. Five months of stress and turmoil - with close calls and more visits from the Healers than she had endured over all the previous years of trying - had proven worthwhile at last as the days slowly ticked by to her assigned due date. With a soft sigh, she reached down and caught him by the wrist, gently guiding his hand away from her stomach so she could push herself upright.

"Do you need assistance?" he asked, his voice still rough with sleep, and she shook her head.

"I can make it that far," she answered as she took one small step forward, then another, padding her way slowly towards the loo that adjoined their room. 

Lucius hummed, and she heard him rolling into a new position on the bed. With a small shake of her head, she continued her slow trek, only to pause just after pushing the door closed behind herself. Before she took another step, a rush of wetness rushed from between her legs, soaking her lap and winding down along the insides of her thighs.

Looking down, she stared at her nightgown in stunned silence for one long moment before letting out a shriek of mingled delight and nervousness. A thunder of footsteps followed the sound, and she spun around to face the door as Lucius flung it open. His expression was panicked, his hair wild from sleep and his eyes still partially unfocussed, as he gripped onto the edges of the door frame and the door itself.

"What's wrong? What's happened?"

Despite herself, Narcissa laughed as she looked at him, stepping close until she was able to place her hand against Lucius' cheek.

"Narcissa-" he started, only to fall silent as she shushed him softly and leaned up to bring their lips together.

"It's time, Lucius."

* * *

_"Do you imagine we might have conceived?" Narcissa asked after several minutes had passed in silence while the two of them worked to catch their breath._

_Lucius had softened and slipped from her body long before, though he remained pressed against her, his arms wrapped around her in a somewhat awkward position. Shifting his head where it rested against her shoulder, Lucius hummed and rubbed his cheek against her skin. "I would rather like to think so, yes. But I do intend to ensure that we take advantage of every opportunity, until we do."_

_"You realize that I am not here simply for you to breed, do you not?" she quipped, and Lucius chuckled as he turned his face against her skin. The small, affectionate gesture brought a smile to her lips, and she threaded her fingers into Lucius' hair. "I think we might have succeeded tonight," she said softly after another moment had passed. "I want to believe that we have."_

_"And what do you imagine we will have, then?" he asked with a trace of amusement still in his tone. Continuing to run her fingers through his hair, she turned her gaze up towards the ceiling with a thoughtful look._

_"A son," she answered finally. "Your heir..."_

_"Indeed?" His voice lost the playful edge and instead took on a note of hopefulness. Shifting against her, he trailed one hand down over her skin until it came to rest with his palm over her stomach. "And what shall we call my heir, do you think?"_

_Another pause while she considered the question, a slow smile forming, and she murmured quietly, "Draco."_


End file.
